Evolv Alternatives: Options for Weapons Detection

Security directors, hospital administrators, and campus safety leaders evaluating Evolv alternatives are often managing the same compounding problem: existing weapons detection systems create as many operational challenges as they solve. Traditional metal detectors require staff to operate at each checkpoint, generate long queues that frustrate visitors and slow facility operations, and pose a risk to individuals with implanted medical devices such as pacemakers. At the same time, many of these systems lack integrated video capture, leaving security teams without the footage they need for investigative follow-up after an incident.

The stakes extend beyond hardware limitations. Accurately identifying armed individuals in no-firearm zones, without disrupting the flow of visitors, patients, or employees, remains one of the hardest problems in facility security. Add to that the pressure to keep sensitive monitoring data compliant with regulatory requirements, justify cost-per-threat ratios to leadership, and integrate new vendor infrastructure without overhauling internal processes, and the case for re-evaluating your current solution becomes difficult to ignore.

Evolv Technology is a weapons detection security screening company founded in 2013 in Waltham, MA. Evolv pioneered and developed a touchless security screening system that uses digital sensors and artificial intelligence to detect threats.

Evolv Technology has two main solutions: Evolv Express® and Evolv eXpedite™. Evolv Express is a weapons detection system that screens individuals at an ingress point, similar to traditional metal detectors. According to Evolv, Evolv Express offers a faster, more efficient threat-screening experience than traditional metal detectors, and Evolv eXpedite works with Evolv Express to detect concealed weapons in bags using X-ray imaging and AI.

While many companies and organizations have deployed Evolv Technology as part of their security solution, it may not be the best fit for every situation.

In this post, we’ll introduce some Evolv alternatives and specifically dive into SoundThinking’s SafePointe state-of-the-art weapons detection technology. Further, we’ll walk through the critical features that make it a compelling Evolv alternative and standout choice for institutions prioritizing both safety and user experience.

For security departments grappling with public safety challenges in high-traffic areas, the optimal solution is a concealed weapons detection system that conducts rigorous security screening without adding staff or compromising the visitor experience.

SafePointe’s advanced camera combines person motion data, including velocity, position, and movements, along with magnetic moment data, to allow for the scanning of multiple entrants simultaneously. The NVIDIA®-powered edge processor captures all this data and runs it through a state-of-the-art AI model to identify an individual (or multiple individuals) carrying a firearm, enabling prompt search and resolution.

Unlike Evolv Express and traditional metal detector systems, which are highly visible and stand front and center as patrons walk in, the SafePointe concealed system is typically deployed as non-descript bollards or within approved planters to seamlessly integrate into the environment.

Patrons can walk into the venue freely, enjoying their experience without the looming presence of overt security measures. The discreet nature of SafePointe provides a public safety layer without sacrificing ambiance or visitor comfort.

Traditional metal detectors can result in long queues, frustrated visitors, and inefficient security operations. The SafePointe system, by contrast, offers high throughput and efficiently screens large volumes of people. The key to SafePointe’s efficiency is its free-flow screening technology, which ensures a touchless and seamless passage for visitors.

This benefit is twofold.

Unlike traditional metal detectors and Evolv Express, SafePointe’s unmanned screening process stands out for its low Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). Here’s how it works:

As the camera collects real-time person motion data—such as direction, speed, and movement—AI simultaneously analyzes magnetic data generated from the individual to assess whether they are carrying a weapon.

If a weapon is detected, the details are forwarded to facility security in less than 10  seconds via the SafePointe app or text, including a brief video and an image of the individual.

As a result of this process, SafePointe’s unmanned screening process:

Many metal detectors and other weapons detection systems have active magnetic field-generating sensors, which can be problematic for individuals with pacemakers and other medical devices. SafePointe’s Magnetic Moment sensors are passive, making it a safe weapons detection system for these vulnerable populations.

Unlike conventional metal detector systems that lack video capabilities, SafePointe’s system alerts the customer in less than 10 seconds, providing the image and related video.

Unlike conventional metal detector systems that lack video capabilities, SafePointe’s system alerts the customer security team within six to ten seconds, providing the threat level and related video.

SafePointe’s approach to security is not just about weapons detection; it’s about providing actionable intelligence in near real-time. When a potential threat is identified, the system sends a still image and video footage. The video captures the person entering the facility, allowing security personnel to assess the situation and make informed decisions about how to respond.

The image and associated video footage become essential tools for any subsequent investigation, providing evidence of the event and aiding legal proceedings and reviews. In a world where every second counts during a security breach, having such detailed information can be the difference between a swift, effective response and a potentially chaotic situation.

The InSight data platform, available via a web interface, enables the review, analysis, and sharing of SafePointe data across multiple lanes, entrances, and even different facilities and locations.

The alert review summary provides details in an easy-to-read incident report to aid investigations and facilitate the sharing of safety and investigative information. The summary is available through the InSight application and can be shared internally or externally.

InSight also provides daily, weekly, and monthly reporting that shows the number of visitors, alerts, and alerts published as a percentage of visitors, making it an ideal reporting tool for internal security teams to review and monitor continuously.

With SafePointe, security teams can rest assured that the sensitive data they monitor is secure and complies with regulatory requirements. As of October 2024, the SafePointe weapons detection system in the healthcare space is HIPAA compliant, and SafePointe achieved SOC 2 compliance in early 2025.

SafePointe provides ease of use from both a configuration and security perspective. Installation is available to make the deployment process hassle-free.  Furthermore, the system is designed to operate independently of your security and IT networks, minimizing disruptions. Our AI system and sensors are linked to and transmit alerts via the Cloud, utilizing either a web portal interface or a smartphone application.

Powered by CEIA OPENGATE, the Athena Security weapons detection system comprises an HD active walkthrough metal detector and induction lidar, and includes a visual camera, artificial intelligence technologies, a controller tablet, and a monitor tablet. The system is faster than a typical airport or courthouse scanner but less sensitive, meaning it’s less likely to falsely alarm on something like a belt buckle and could be less likely to detect a weapon.

CEIA is a manufacturer that designs electromagnetic metal detection equipment for security screening, offering both walk-through and handheld models. The flagship OPENGATE line is a system for screening people, backpacks, purses, and bags. CEIA serves a wide range of markets including airports, law enforcement, courts and correctional facilities, schools, event venues, and loss prevention in retail settings.

Xtract One Technologies is a technology-driven threat-detection and security solution that leverages AI to provide secure patron access control experiences. Xtract One is a direct competitor to Evolv, as the two are weapons detection systems highly focused on the sporting and entertainment venue space — locations with high-volume traffic for limited periods.